Process of separating materials of varying degrees of conductivity



Jam. 23 i ql 5 ER EJ44 989 PROCESS OF SEPABATING MATERIALS OF VARYINGDEGREES OF CONDUCTIVITY Filed July 12, 1928 RALPH SHERER Patented Jan.28 1930 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RALPH SHERER, 0F MESA, ARIZONA,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CECIL R. JONES, OF

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ARIZONA PROCESS OF SEPABATING MATERIALS OF VARYING DEGREES 01?CONDUCTIVITY Application filed July 12,

This invention relates to a process of separating materials of varyingdegrees of conductivity. More particularly, the invention relates to theseparation of the metals found in various ores from the gangue.

Broadly stated, the invention resides in causing the metal particles ofthe ore to complete, by their presence, an electric circuit, the closingof which, through the metal particles, fuses the latter upon a carrierwhich carries the fused particles away from the gap at which theycompleted the electric circuit, leaving said gap open until additionalparticles of the metal find their way thereto to again complete acircuit.

By suitably regulating the voltage ofthe current employed certain metalscan be extracted and retained, while other metals of a different degreeof conductivity or higher fusing point will not be effected. Forpurposes of explanation I have illustrated, in the accompanyingdrawings, one form of apparatus which may be used in carrying out theprocess. However, it is to be understood that the invention here residesin the broad thought of separating metals, as above set forth,irrespective of the particular type of apparatus that may be employed incarrying out the process.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the separating apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a current regulating and controllingdevice used in con junction with Fig. 1.

upon a larger part of the mechanism of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a detailed view, scale, of a 2, and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the rollers, andassociated parts, of Fi 1.

Bike numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawing.

Rollers A are disposed upon opposite sides of, and in close proximityto, a stationary separating plate B, of inverted V-shape. Troughs C areprovided with scraping edges 0, which lie in contact with the outersides of the rollers A. The rollers A are journaled 1928. Serial No.292,110.

in bearings D, said bearings being supported upon the inclined upperside of a frame E. A transverse shaft J, driven by belt M, is mounted inbearings K, and carries bevel pinions H, which mesh with bevel pinionsL, upon the ends of the shafts G, of the rollers A. This mechanismserves to rotate the rollers in the directions indicated by the arrowsa. The stationary separating plate B rests upon plates of insulatingmaterial Z. The troughs C are carried by rods 7, which are adjustabletoward and from the rollers, as shown at F. The current controlling andregulating mechanism comprises a solenoid magnet T, the ends of thewinding of which are indicated at X and W. This winding is wound aboutthe hollow tube T, in which the core S, of the solenoid, moves. A wire Vis connected to this core and extends to a source of current supply.solenoid magnet also extends to the source of supply of the current. Thecore of the solenoid magnet carries a carbon contact point B, whichco-acts with contact point Q, on support 0. This support is adjustableupon a panel N, as indicated at P. A wire, or conductor Y, leads fromthe contact point Q, to the fixed plate B. Thus, the circuit is asfollows From the source of supply through wire V to core S; thencethrough contact points R V and Q, when these are in engagement with eachother, through wire Y to separating plate B. When the gap between alongitudinal edge of B, and either of the rollers A, is bridged by aparticle or particles of metal, the circuit will be completed throughthe said roller, wire W, the solenoid winding and wire X, back to thesource of current supply. The completion of this circuit through theparticles of metal to be separated brings about such fusing of the metalas will cause it to adhere to the roller A. The metal then travelsaround with the roller A, until it is scraped off by the correspondingscraper 0 and deposited in the corresponding long trough C. It will beunderstood that the strength of the current employed will be such as tofuse the particular metal that it is desired to separate, and thecurrent control- The terminal X of the m ling and regulating device ofFig. 2 is designed to render it possible to vary the strength of thecurrent, as may be needful.

As has posed upon an angle. This, coupled with the fact that theycontinuously rotate in the direction of the arrows a, brings about acon-. stant lifting and rotating of the ore which is fed upon therollersat the upper end thereof; the gangue being discharged from thelower ends of said rollers. If, for example, gold bearing placer gravel,or other gravel bearing gold particles, is deposited upon the upper endsof the rollers and fed downwardly thereover, the gravel being anon-conductor of electricity, or of high resistance, passes over therollers without being effected. The constant lifting and agitation ofthe gravel, as it feeds slowly downward over the rollers, causes therelatively heavy metal content, or the metal bearing content thereof, toseek the lowest point of the mass, which is the point where thelongitudinal edges of the separating plate B lie closest to the rollersA. Then either of the gaps a: is bridged by a conductive particle ofmetal, a fusing of the metal takes place, as above described.

It will be apparent that since the winding of the solenoid is in serieswith the fusing circuit, the solenoid will beenergized when the circuitis completed. The energizing of the solenoid causes the contact R to belifted, thus breaking the fusing circuit. Conseqently, when the fusedparticle is carried away from the gap as, the are that would otherwiseoccur is'prevented. As soon as the fused particle moves away from thegap, the

solenoid is de-energized and the core R drops, so that when additionalmetallic particles come into the gaps :0, they will again complete acircuit to bring about the fusing thereof upon the carrier electrodes,or rollers A.

It is manifest that many mechanical applian'ces can be devised, by thoseskilled in the art, to carry out the basic thought constituting myprocess. Consequently, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the use of any particular apparatus but resides in theconception of the idea disclosed herein.

Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention includes, withinits purview, the employment of any means for the use of any processfalling within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Furthermore, while the bulk of the valuable content of the ore willusually be found to be in particles so small as to be fusible, it willsometimes be the case that nuggets of considerable size will constitutethe circuit completing elements. In such case, these nuggets may not befused, and it will become desirable to remove them by hand. In order toapprise the operator when this condition exists, I may include, in theelectric circuit,

been stated, the rollers A are dis-' an electric signal, such as a bellZ. While this 'bell will sound at any time that the circuit iscompleted, it will usually ring only momentarily, or until the metallicparticle is fused' When a nugget of considerable size completes thecircuit, the operator will be apprised of that fact by the ringing ofthe bell through a much will then seek and remove the nugget.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The herein described process for separating materials of varyingdegrees of fusibility and electrical conductivity, which consists ofpassing such materials longitudinally over two elongated electrodeswhich are included in a normallv open electric circuit that is completedby the deposition of the material to be separated, therebetween, fusingconductive particles of said material upon one of said electrodes by thecompletion of the circuit of which it forms a part, discharging saidfusible material laterally from the electrode upon which it is fused,and discharging the non-conductive portion of said materialgravitationally and longitudinally from said electrodes.

2. The herein described process, which consists of passing an orecomprising conductive and non-conductive particles over a pair of spacedelectrodes, one of which travels, said electrodes constituting a part ofa normally open electric circuit, adapted to be com leted by thedeposition of particles of con uctive metal from the ore between saidelectrodes, the current employed being of suflicient strength to fusesaid particles of metal upon the travelling electrode, when said circuitis completed and then interrupting the circuit under the influence ofthe current flow set up by the completion of said circuit.

3. The herein described .process, which consists of passing a metalbearingore over a pair of spaced electrodes, one of which travels, saidelectrodes constituting a part of a normally open electric circuit,adapted to be completed by-the deposition of particles of metal from theore between said electrodes, the current employed being of suflicientstrength to fuse said particles of metal upon the travelling electrode,when said circuit is completed, and their interrupting the circuit toprevent the formation of an are, as the movement of the travellingelectrode carries the fused particles away from the other electrode.

4. The herein described process which consists of passing an orecomprising magnetic and non-magnetic particles over a pair of spacedelectrodes, one at least of which constantly moves in a directionlaterally of said electrodes, and which electrodes are disposed in suchposition as to cause the material to be fed longitudinally therealong bygravity, said electrodes constituting part of a longer period, and heset up by the closing of said circuit, by said particl In testimonywhereof he afiixes his signature.

RALPH SHERER.

